Brake apparatus for electric railway or tramway vehicles.



NA. 736,608. PATENTED AUG.18, 1903.

J. G. VELA-NG.

BRAKE APPARATUS FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAY CR TRAMWAY VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED r213. 17. 1903.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

latented August 18, 1903 JOIIAN GUSTAE VIKTOR LANG, OF LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO EDWARD I-IIBBERD JOHNSON, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

BRAKE APPARATUS FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAY R TRAMWAY VEHICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 736,608, dated August 18, 1903.

Application filed February 17, 1903. Serial No. 143,875. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern: run away. In the event, however, of a fail- Be it known thatI, JOHAN GUSTAF VIKTOR ure in the supply of the electric energy to the LANG, electrician, a subject of the King of motor occurring by the loss of the trolley con- Sweden and Norway, residing at 16 Soho nection or by the opening of the overload- 5 Square, in the city of London, England, have switch or otherwise the vehicle would immeinvented certain new and useful Improvediately be denuded of this safety factor and ments Relating to the Brake Apparatus of would then be uncontrollable except through Electric Railway and Tramway Vehicles, of the agency of the hand-brakes, which are far which the following is a specification. from reliable, depending, as they do, upon 6o [0 This invention relates to the brake appathe motormans presence of mind and promptratus of electric railway and tramway vehiness for causing them to effectually operate cles, and has for its object to impart to such at the moment of emergency. vehicles the degree of safety which charac- According to this invention the automatic terizes high-class electric-elevator services retarding function of the regenerative motor 15 provided with so-called self-actingsafetyis supplemented by mechanical or other selfbrakes and which is now greatly needed in acting power-brakes, and these two braking view of the numerous serious accidents that systems are so arranged that upon any failure have occurred by reason of the vehicles getof the braking function of the primary electing beyond control of the motorman when tric equipment, however caused, it would be 2o descending steep gradients. immediately and automatically replaced or The said invention has reference more parsupplemented by the mechanical braking systicularly to that class of electric railway or tem. For this purpose the mechanical braktrarnway equipment known as the coming system is so arranged that the brakes pound regenerative but the invention is are normally held off or in their inopera- 25 not necessarily limited thereto, as it will be tive condition by an electromagnetic switch obvious from the statements hereinafter set or other electrically-controlled contrivance forth that it may be readily adapted to other forming part of suitably-arranged electric cirtypes of railway or tramway equipment by cuits and stationary contacts that are conmaking trifling modifications in the mode of trolled by a movable contact governed by the 0 carrying the invention into practice. speed of the vehicle and by a movable con- As is well known, an inseparable accomtact governed by the motor-controller. The paniment of the regenerative electric motor arrangement is such as to effect the automatic is that of retardation. Hence should a vehitransference of the control of the speed of the cle provided with a regenerative motor revehicle from the regenerative motor to the 35 ceive any impetus from other sources than mechanicalbrakingsystemimmediatelyupon its own motive power-as, for instance, from any derangement of the former taking place the acceleration due to its travel on a descendwhether such derangement arises from an acing gradient-the motor will quickly and aucidental failure of the electrical energizing tomatically become an electric generator and force or from the intentional cutting 0d of o 40 power-brake. The effect of this change from the electric energy by the motorman for the the motor characteristic to the generator charpurpose of effecting a final stop of the vehicle. acteristic is to confine the speed of the vehi- In order that the said invention may be cle to a definite and small percentage of inclearly understood and readily carried into crease over and above that normally deeffect, the same will now be described more 45 manded by the position which the motor-confully with reference to the accompanying troller occupies when the aforesaid change drawings, in which takes place. There obviously exists, there- Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of the arfore, an important and valuable safety factor rangement of electric circuits and the stationin that so long as the electric equipment is ary and movable contacts when an electro- 50 in proper operative condition the vehicle is dynamic speed-indicator is employed for conheld in bond to the normal speed and cannot trolling the movable speed-contact. Fig. 2 is another diagrammatic view showing the arrangement of the said circuits and contacts when centrifugal mechanismis employed for controlling the movable speed-contact.

A is the electrodynamic speed-indicator or centrifugal mechanism, and a the movable speed -contact or needle thereof. B is the movable controller contact, and O is the switch.

a a a a are the stationary contacts, controlled by the movable speed-contact, and b b b b are the stationary contacts, controlled by the movable controller-contact.

a is a light segmental contact-frame, which is formed of suitable conductive material and is loosely mounted on the axle of said needle, but is electrically insulated therefrom. The end of the said segmental contact-frame adjacent to the needle is furnished with a forked portion comprising two stops 0, a the latter of which is electrically insulated from said frame. The needle lies between these stops, which are situated at such a distance apart as to permit of a certain amount of lost motion between the needle and frame. The said needle is normally kept pressed against the insulated stop a by a light spring a When, however, the needle moves forward in response to an increase of speed of the vehicle, it leaves the stop a and comes against the stop a and in continuing its movement carries with it the frame, thereby electrically connecting with the needle all the contacts it has already passed as long as the needle has a tendency to move forward.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 1, D is a small electric generator, which is driven directly or indirectly from the armature-shaft of the car-motor M or from the vehicle wheelaXle. In circuit with this generator is the speed-indicator A, which in the present case is in the form of a powerful voltmeter situated in circuit with the motor-circuit through a resistance d. The needle (1 of this voltmeter is adapted by its movements due to the various speed values to close (through the stop a) one or other of a number of electric circuits at 00 00 so, which include the movable controller contact or finger B of the motor-controller and the solenoid'of the electromagnetic switch 0. The stationary contacts a a a a of the voltmeter belonging to the several speed positions are by means of the said circuits w @23 m 00 so connected to to be in the position represented in Fig. 1- t. a, when the controller-handle has been turned by the motorman to the notch of the controller in which the contact-finger B lies on the stationary contact b then if the needle of the voltmeter, owing to an increase of the speed beyond that allowed for this particular notch of the controller, causes the contact-frame to reach the contact a the circuit 00 will be closed and current will flow though the needle, the stop a and the contact-frame a to the contact a and the mov able contactfinger B and thence to the switch 0, controlling the mechanical brake system. This switch is thus operated and the brakes are caused to be applied. In the example illustrated the mechanical brake system comprises potentially-set brakes normally held off by a small electric motor E and suitable gearing, so that when said switch is opened by the flow of the current in the said circuit as", as aforesaid, the current-supply to this motor will be stopped and the brakes be permitted to operate for retarding or stopping the vehicle.

If the controller-handle is turned forward to the next succeeding notch of the controller, the contact-finger B will follow the movement of the controller-handle, and thus reach the succeeding contact 19 the speed of the vehicle being of course increased accordingly. If the speed should increase beyond that allowed by this position of the controller-ham dle, the needle a of the speed-indicator will advance far enough to let the contact-frame a reach the contact a and current will then pass from this contact through the circuit 00 to the fixed controller-contact b and the movable contact-finger B to the switch C, thereby operating the mechanical brakes and permitting them to be applied as aforesaid.

If the controllerhandle were turned forward the distance of, say, two notches instead of only one-2'. (3., so that the movable contact-finger B moved from contact 5 to 19 the mechanical brakes would not come into operation unless the speed increased to the maximum allowed for the notch corresponding with contact b and the contact-frame (1 reached the corresponding stationary contact a," of the voltmeter.

If the controller-handle were turned back- Wardsay to the notch of the controller corresponding with the stationary contact 1)- the contact finger B would of course reach this contact, and if the speed of the vehicle became correspondinglyreduced, asit should do under normal conditions, the needle a and its contact-frame would move backward -untilthe said frame passed the stationary veacos' movable contact-finger B and the switch 0, and thus cause the brakes to be applied.

At the oif position of the controller-handle-zl e., when no current is being supplied to the motor-the current-supply to the holding-ofi' motor is also disconnected.

Referring now to Fig. 2, which shows centrifugal mechanism in substitution for the voltmeter, in this case the sliding sleeve ta of said governor is connected with the needle to by means of a lever a and suitable links for obtaining an amplified movement of the needle. In this case the switch 0 is adapted to control the valve 0 of a vacuum-brake instead of a mechanical brake. The said governor is driven by suitable gearing from the armature-shaft of the motor or from one of the vehicle wheel-axles, like the electric generator D. (Shown in Fig. 1.) The said needle is in circuit with a battery or other source of electricity and with the solenoid of the switch C through the movable contact-finger B. The stationary contacts a a 0. a and b 11 6 b and the circuits as 50 x 1: are arranged similarly to the corresponding contacts and circuits in Fig. 1. The working of the apparatus is in all respects similar to that already described with respect to the said Fig. 1, and therefore need not be further described. At the off position the movable contact B lies against the stationary contact b and the current then flows through the circuits x x direct to the switch 0 through the movable contact-finger B, thus insuring the action of the brakes, as before stated.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In brake apparatus for electric-railway vehicles, the combination with the electric motor and its controller, of a device controlled by the speed of the vehicle, and means including circuits and circuit connections between the device and the controller whereby said device will operate to cause the brakes to be applied if the speed increases beyond that which is normal to a particular position of the 1notor-controller, substantially as described.

2. In brake apparatus for electric-railway vehicles, the combination with the electric motor and its controller, of a speed-indicator, and means including circuits and circuit connections between the device and the controller whereby said indicator will operate to cause the brakes to be applied if the speed increases beyond that which is normal to a particular position of the motor-controller, substantially as described.

3. In brake apparatus for electric-railway vehicles, the combination with the electric motor and its controller, of a voltmeter and means including circuits and circuit connections between the device and the controller whereby said voltmeter will operate to cause the brakes to be applied if the speed of the vehicle increases beyond that which is normal to a particular position of the motor-controller, substantially as described.

4. In brake apparatus for electric-railway vehicles, the combination with the electric motor and its controller, of a movable contact controlled by the said motor-controller, a movable contact controlled by the speed of the vehicle, and means whereby said contacts operate to cause the brakes to be applied if the speed of the vehicle increases beyond that which is normal to a particular position of the motor-controller, substantially as described.

5. In brake apparatus for electric-railway vehicles, the combination with the electric motor and its controller, of a movable contact controlled by thesaid motor-controller, a movable contact controlled by the speed of the vehicle, electric circuits between the two movable contacts, and means whereby when any of said circuits is closed through the said contacts, the brakes will be automatically ap plied substantially as described.

6. In brake apparatus for electric-railway vehicles, the combination with the electric motor and its controller, of a movable contact controlled by the said motor-controller, a movable contact controlled by the speed of the vehicle, a movable segmental contact frame controlled by said speed-contact, a series of stationary contacts with which-said movable controller-contact cooperates, a series of stationary contacts with which said movable speed-contact, through the said frame, cooperates, conductors connecting together the members of the two series of stationary contacts in pairs, an additional stationary contact with which the movable con- I troller-contact cooperates when the motorcontroller is in its off position, an electromagnetic device in circuit with the movable controller-contact, and means whereby when said electromagnetic device is actuated by current passing through said contacts, the brakes are applied substantially as described.

7. In brake apparatus for electric-railway vehicles the combination with the electric motor and its controller, of a movable contact controlled by the said motor-controller, a movable contact controlled by the speed of the vehicle, a movable segmental contact-frame loosely mounted on the axle of said movable speed-contact, a pair of stops on said frame between which the movable speed-contact lies, and by which it is operated, one of said stops beinginsulated, a spring tending to keep said movable speed-contact against the insulated stop, a series of stationary contacts with which the movable controller-contact cooperates, a series of stationary contacts with which the said frame cooperates, conductors connecting together in pairs the members of the two series of stationary contacts, an addimovable controller-contact and means where by, when said electromagnetic device is energized by current passing through said contacts, the brakes are applied, substantially as described.

8. In brake apparatus for electric-railway vehicles,the combination with the electric motor and its controller, of a movable contact controlled by the said motor-con troller,a movable contact controlled by the speed of the vehicle, a movable segmental contact-frame loosely mounted on the axle of said movable speed-contact, a pair of stops on said frame between which the movable speed contact lies and by which it is operated, one of said stops being insulated, a spring tending to keep said movable speed-contact against the insulated stop, a series of stationary contacts with which the movable controller-contact cooperates, a series of stationary contacts with which the movable speed-contact cooperates by means of the said frame, conductors connecting together in pairs the members of the two series of stationary con tacts,an additional stationary contact with which the movable controllercontact cooperates when the motorcontroller is in its 01? position, an electric switch in circuit with the movable controllercontact and means whereby when said switch veer-'30s is energized by current passing through said contacts, the brakes are applied substantially as described.

9. In brake apparatus for electric-railway vehicles, the combination with a motor of the regenerative type and its controller, of selfacting power-brakes and means whereby in the event of said motor failing to perform its braking action, said brakes will be automat ically applied substantially as described.

' 10. In brake apparatus for electric-railway vehicles, the combination with a motor of the regenerative type and its controller, of selfacting power-brakes, a device controlled by the speed of the vehicle, and means including circuits and circuit connections whereby said device will operate to cause the brakes to be applied if the speed increases beyond that which is normal to a particular position of the motor-controller substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, in presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 2d day of February, 1903.

JOHAN GUSTAF VIKTOR LANG. 

